Heft36 1 - SFB 580 - Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
Heft36 1 - SFB 580 - Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
Heft36 1 - SFB 580 - Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
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THE VOC EINLEITUNG APPROACH GOES EAST<br />
Hancke/<br />
Rhodes/<br />
Thatcher<br />
2007<br />
(edited<br />
volume)<br />
King: The VoC can be applied to CEE as a framework of analysis, but it has to consider<br />
post-communist similarities (importance of backwardness, lack of working-class pressure)<br />
which are more important than the respective differences in terms of VoC typology. Two<br />
expanded typologies, “liberal dependent capitalism” in Hungary and Poland and “patrimonial<br />
capitalism” in Russia, are identified as a consequence of dependency conditions<br />
in the former (dependency on FDI and technology transfer, lack of domestic banks and<br />
stock markets, denationalized vocational training) and patrimonial network structures in<br />
the latter, resulting from financial crisis.<br />
Feldmann: The VoC approach is applied successfully to explain institutional diversity in<br />
Slovenia and Estonia. Diversity is explained by a different degree of old networks between<br />
economic actors, which were built under socialism and influenced by policy choices during<br />
transition (e.g. mode of privatization).<br />
Mykhnenko: Poland and Ukraine are institutional hybrids (mixed market economies)<br />
which can function successfully and escape predetermined trajectories. No complementarity<br />
effects between science/technology education system and revealed comparative trade<br />
advantage are detected. As institutional and organizational factors explain only a part of<br />
macroeconomic performance of post-communist countries, there is a need to integrate<br />
exogenous factors (internationalization, globalization, Europeanization) into the national<br />
state-oriented VoC approach.<br />
Cernat<br />
2006<br />
In the Romanian case, the inconsistent mixture of domestic and external institutions<br />
(“cocktail capitalism”) explains poor economic performance during post-communist transition.<br />
Bohle/<br />
Greskovits<br />
2007<br />
The VoC approach is difficult to apply to Eastern Europe as institutions are still not<br />
consolidated. Four types of capitalist systems, based on institutional configurations and<br />
performances are identified: state crafted neoliberalism of the Baltic States, world-market<br />
driven neoliberalism of the CIS countries, embedded neoliberalism of the Visegrád countries,<br />
and neo-corporatism in Slovenia. Capitalist diversity is explained by differences in<br />
external factors and state capacity.<br />
Paunescu/<br />
Schneider<br />
2004<br />
Crowley<br />
2008<br />
Several OECD countries moved towards the liberal market model in a relatively short period<br />
of time (1990-1999). Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic have mixed systems.<br />
The VoC framework is successfully applied to assess the type of capitalism which has<br />
developed in CEE, particularly in the sphere of industrial relations (labor). However, the<br />
VoC logic fails to explain the outcome in this sphere because it neglects the role of labor (its<br />
absence and presence), the state and international actors as the main drivers of change.<br />
Source: Own elaboration.<br />
Seite Page page 14<br />
Table 1 gives an overview of conclusions<br />
on the VoC studies in postcommunist<br />
countries. On the basis<br />
of these conclusions, four summarizing statements<br />
are made:<br />
a. Variety defined in most studies based on postsocialist<br />
economies. However, this variety often<br />
refers to the stage of institutional and economic<br />
development (e.g. FDI proportion, stock<br />
market capitalization, privatization proportion),<br />
which is explained as an outcome of historical